THE LAST ALIBI

The European Hunt

The winter wind howled across the fields. Cole stood at the window, watching the snow pile against the porch. Three months had passed since Marcus Vance escaped to Europe. Three months of silence. Three months of waiting.

The farmhouse had become a fortress. Cameras on every corner. Motion sensors in the fields. A team of former military rotated shifts, watching the perimeter. Cole had learned from his mistakes. He wouldn't be caught off guard again.

But the waiting was eating him alive.

Evelyn walked into the living room. She had aged since the kidnapping. The lines on her face were deeper. The light in her eyes was dimmer.

"You're thinking about him again."

"Always."

She sat beside him on the couch. "You can't keep living like this. Waiting for the next attack."

"What am I supposed to do? Pretend he's not out there?"

"You're supposed to live. To find happiness. To let go of the anger."

"I can't let go. Not while he's still free."

She took his hand. "Then go after him. But don't let him consume you."

Cole looked at his mother. The woman who had survived eight years of poison. Who had walked out of a sanatorium and into a war.

"How do I do that?"

"One day at a time. One step at a time."

He nodded. But he didn't believe it.

---

The call came on a Tuesday. Kane's old contact. A woman named Evelyn Chen. No relation to his mother.

"Mr. Mathers. I have information about Marcus Vance."

Cole stood up. His heart pounded. "Where is he?"

"France. He has a chateau in the Loire Valley. He's been there for weeks. Rebuilding. Recruiting."

"How many men?"

"Fifty. Maybe more. He's planning something. Something big."

Cole paced the room. "When?"

"I don't know. But I know he's meeting with someone tomorrow. A weapons dealer. In Paris."

"Where in Paris?"

"I'll send you the address. But Mr. Mathers—be careful. He knows you're coming."

"He always does."

---

The plane landed in Paris at 10 AM. The sky was gray. The air was cold.

Cole walked through customs with a fake passport. New identity. Frankie had arranged everything.

A car was waiting. A driver. Former military. Trustworthy.

"Where to, Mr. Cole?"

"The address I sent you."

The driver nodded. They drove through the city. The streets were narrow. The buildings were old.

The address was a warehouse. Industrial district. Abandoned.

Cole got out. Walked to the door. It was locked.

He picked the lock. Stepped inside.

The warehouse was empty. Dust on the floor. Cobwebs on the ceiling.

But there was a light in the back. A single bulb. A table. Two chairs.

A man sat at the table. He was old. Gray hair. Cold eyes.

"Mr. Mathers. I was wondering when you'd come."

Cole walked closer. "Where's Marcus?"

"Not here. I'm just the messenger."

"The messenger for what?"

The man slid a folder across the table. "He wants you to know what he's planning. He wants you to see it. To feel the fear."

Cole opened the folder.

Photographs. His mother. His brother. His siblings. His students. Everyone he loved.

And a map. A map of the United States. Red dots on every major city.

"Bombs," the man said. "In every major city. Detonated remotely. All at once. The largest domestic terror attack in American history."

Cole closed the folder. "He's lying."

"He's not. He's been planning this for months. The weapons are in place. The operatives are ready. All he needs is the signal."

"What signal?"

"Your death. He wants to watch you die. Then he'll blow everything."

Cole raised his pistol. "Where is he?"

"I don't know. No one knows. He moves every day. New location. New identity. He's a ghost."

Cole lowered the pistol. "Tell him I'm coming. And tell him I'll stop him."

The man smiled. "He's counting on it."

---

The drive back to the hotel was silent. Cole stared at the folder. The photographs. The map.

Frankie was waiting in the lobby. "What happened?"

"He's planning a bombing. Every major city. All at once."

Frankie's face went pale. "Can he do it?"

"He has the weapons. The operatives. The money."

"Then we need to stop him."

"How? We don't know where he is."

Frankie was quiet. Then he said, "I know someone. A former associate of Marcus's. He might know where he's hiding."

"Where is he?"

"Berlin. He's in hiding. Afraid of Marcus."

"Then we go to Berlin."

---

The plane landed in Berlin at 6 PM. The city was cold. The streets were busy.

Frankie led Cole through the streets. Past shops. Past cafes. To a small apartment building.

They climbed the stairs to the third floor. Frankie knocked on the door.

A man opened it. He was young. Nervous.

"Frankie. You shouldn't be here."

"We need to talk."

The man stepped aside. They walked in.

The apartment was small. A couch. A table. A view of the street.

"This is Klaus," Frankie said. "He used to work for Marcus."

Klaus shook his head. "I don't know anything."

"You know where he's hiding."

"I can't tell you. He'll kill me."

"He'll kill you anyway. Once he's done with his plan."

Klaus was silent. His hands were shaking.

"He's in Prague. In an old castle. He's been there for weeks. Planning. Waiting."

Cole stood. "Take me there."

"I can't. He'll kill me."

"Then I'll kill you first. If I have to."

Klaus's face went pale. "I'll take you. But I'm not going inside."

---

Prague was beautiful. Old buildings. Cobblestone streets. A river running through the center.

The castle was on a hill. Dark stone. Tall towers. Iron gates.

Cole looked at the walls. The guards. The cameras.

"How do we get in?" he asked.

Klaus pointed to a drainage pipe. "That leads to the basement. It's how Marcus gets supplies in."

Cole and Frankie moved through the darkness. The pipe was cold. The water was foul.

They emerged in the basement. Storage rooms. Old furniture.

They moved through the halls. Silent. Stealthy.

Marcus was in the main hall. Sitting at a table. Maps spread in front of him.

Cole walked in. His pistol was raised.

"Marcus."

Marcus looked up. He didn't flinch.

"Cole. I was wondering when you'd come."

"You knew I'd find you."

"I counted on it." Marcus stood. "I've been waiting for this moment. The final conversation."

"There's nothing to talk about. You're under arrest."

Marcus laughed. "You think I'm afraid of prison? I'm beyond prison. I'm beyond the law."

"The bombs. I know about them. I'll stop them."

"You can try." Marcus walked closer. "But you'll fail. Just like you failed to protect your wife."

Cole's blood ran cold. "Don't talk about her."

"Why not? She's dead because of you. You couldn't save her. Just like you can't save anyone."

Cole raised his pistol. "You're wrong. I'm going to save everyone. Starting with the people you're trying to kill."

Marcus laughed again. "Then shoot me. Kill me. But the bombs will still detonate. My operatives will still follow through."

"Not if I stop them first."

"Then you'd better hurry." Marcus pulled out a remote. "I can detonate them right now. All of them. At once."

Cole's heart stopped. "Don't."

"Why not? You're going to kill me anyway. I might as well take everyone with me."

Cole lowered his pistol. "What do you want?"

"I want to watch you suffer. To see the look on your face when you realize you've failed."

"That's not going to happen."

Marcus pressed a button on the remote. Nothing happened.

He pressed it again. Nothing.

His face went pale. "What did you do?"

Cole smiled. "I disabled your network. Two weeks ago. My people have been working on it ever since."

Marcus staggered backward. "Impossible."

"Nothing is impossible. You should have learned that by now."

Marcus pulled out a pistol. Raised it at Cole.

Frankie shot him. Three times.

Marcus fell. His eyes stayed open. Empty.

Cole walked to the body. Looked down at his enemy. Another one dead. Another one gone.

But the war wasn't over. It never was.

---

**End of Chapter 40**

*Cole walked out of the castle. The sun was rising. The sky was pink.*

*His phone buzzed. A text from his mother.*

*"Are you okay?"*

*He replied. "I'm okay. I'm coming home."*

*He turned off the phone. Looked at the sky.*

*Marcus Vance was dead. The bombs were disabled. His family was safe.*

*But the war wasn't over. There were always more enemies. More threats. More battles.*

*Cole walked to the car. Frankie was waiting.*

*"What now?"*

*Cole looked at the castle. At the body inside.*

*"Now I go home. I try to live. I try to be happy."*

*"And if another enemy comes?"*

*"Then I'll be ready."*

*Frankie smiled. "That's the Cole I know."*

*They drove away.*

*The castle disappeared behind them.*

*Ahead, an uncertain future.*

*But Cole knew one thing for sure.*

*He would never stop fighting.*

*He couldn't.*